Dawgs Hold On, but Look Rough

Associated Press

10/15/2011

NASHVILLE – Aaron Murray threw for a career-high 326 yards and three touchdowns, and Blair Walsh kicked four field goals as the Georgia Bulldogs held off Vanderbilt 33-28 for their fifth straight victory Saturday night.

Vanderbilt (3-3, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) hadn't beaten Georgia in Nashville since 1991, and Udom Umoh blocked Drew Butler's punt with 7 seconds left to give the Commodores one last chance at the Georgia 20 before a substitution infraction backed the Commodores up to the Georgia 25.

The hectic ending was fitting on a night when a transformer on the east concourse of the stadium blew and knocked out four sets of lights with 2:53 left in the first half. Workers fixed a fuse and got all but one stand working by early in the third quarter.

Walsh clanked his first field goal attempt off the left upright and missed another wide right.

The Commodores had the ball twice in the final 2:30, first when Casey Heyward picked off a Murray pass at the Vandy 2. Rambo ended that drive with his interception, but the Bulldogs, who had to kick so many field goals, couldn't pick up a first down to run out the clock, which set up the final few plays.

Murray threw two TDs to Marlon Brown, the last a 75-yarder with 13:57 left that proved to be the winner and the longest TD play for both quarterback and receiver. Murray also connected with Tavarres King on a 20-yard TD set up by Orson Charles blocking a punt.

The Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead on Walsh's first field goal, a 53-yarder, and scored 20 points in the second quarter and never trailed.

Georgia had allowed only two offensive touchdowns in the previous four games. The Bulldogs gave up three to Vandy, two in the final 16 minutes as Zac Stacy capped an 84-yard drive by running for a 19-yard TD with 9:15 left.

Vanderbilt's best offense early came came on a fake punt when the backup punter completed a 35-yard pass, and on a halfback pass when Stacy tossed a 43-yard TD pass to Jordan Matthews. Andre Hal also returned a kickoff 96 yards for a TD in the third quarter just after Georgia took its biggest lead of the game at 23-7.

Rodgers, who came in after Larry Smith was intercepted for the second time, drove the Commodores 75 yards to set up Jerron Seymour's 1-yard TD with 26 seconds left in the third.